Despite ongoing visa-related challenges, the number of Indian students pursuing higher education on U.S. campuses has surged by 10%, solidifying their position as the largest international student group in the 2024-2025 academic year. According to the Open Doors 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange, U.S. colleges and universities hosted 1,177,766 international students, representing a 5% increase from the previous year and accounting for 6% of the total U.S. higher education population.
India now accounts for 30.8% of all international students in the U.S.. The Open Doors report states that 363,019 students from India were studying in the U.S. in the academic year 2024-2025, a notable jump from the 331,602 in the previous year. This increase has allowed India to maintain its lead over China, which sent 265,919 students, a 4% decline compared to prior years. This is China's lowest total in at least eight years. Together, Indian and Chinese students comprise 53.4% of the total international student population in the United States.
The growth in Indian student enrollment was fueled by an 11.3% increase in undergraduate enrollment, rising from 36,053 in 2023-24 to 40,135 in 2024-25. There was also a 47.3% surge in Optional Practical Training (OPT) participation, with the number of students jumping from 97,556 to 143,740. This indicates a strong preference among Indian students for work-based training and pathways to employment. In contrast, graduate enrollment saw a 9.5% decrease, falling from 196,567 to 177,892.
Despite the overall increase in international students, new international student enrollments in U.S. colleges and universities experienced a steep decline of 17% in the fall of 2025. This is the most significant drop since the COVID-19 pandemic. The decline is attributed to visa application concerns and travel restrictions. A recent report indicated that 96% of institutions cited visa application concerns as a contributing factor, and 68% pointed to travel restrictions. For India, the top sender of international students, a majority of institutions reported declines in new enrollment.
The U.S. remains a popular destination for international students, with 57% across all academic levels pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. International students contribute nearly $55 billion to the U.S. economy annually and support more than 355,000 jobs across the country.
Colleges are trying to accommodate international students facing visa delays by offering deferrals to the spring or fall of 2026. About 72% of institutions are offering deferrals to spring 2026, and 56% are providing deferrals to fall 2026.
The increase of scrutiny of social media accounts for those applying or renewing visas is also a possible cause for the decline. The directive mandates that fraud prevention units take screenshots of "potentially derogatory" social media content, creating a digital record that can be used to deny entry.
